Kepa Arrizabalaga’s actions prior to the penalty shootout in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City were direspectful to his teammates, manager, and club, and he should be punished.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is 24 years old, is an error-prone goalkeeper, and has no significant career achievements to this date. Therefore, he has absolutely no right to any authority that wasn’t bestowed upon him. So why was he acting the way he was, when Maurizio Sarri went to substitute him off for the penalty shootout in the Carabao Cup final? Well I personally have no idea, as he truly does not have the right to treat his manager in the way he did, and no player does really. The Chelsea goalkeeper acted viciously when Sarri’s intentions of subbing him off became clear, and the goalkeeper refused to come off the pitch, which led to Maurizio Sarri displaying livid emotions on the bench. Althought the incident was a misunderstanding, as Sarri thought the player was injured and Kepa was trying to send the message that he wasn’t, he still acted way out of order.
Kepa’s actions sent the football world into an angry frenzy, as his actions did not go down well with anyone. Many were calling for extreme punishment, such as full-on expulsion from the team, while other suggested suspension or a hefty fine. Whatever you believe Kepa Arrizabalaga deserves for his actions, there is no doubt that a severe punishment is on the cards for the Spaniard.
Cesar Azpilicueta has also come under fire for refusing to comment on the situation after the match, despite being Chelsea captain on the evening. He should certainly have dealt with his countryman in a better way, and spoke up about the issue following the match as well.
The Blues ended up losing the match on penalties, with Kepa failing to save any of the 4 that came his way. A fitting end for him personally, but not for the rest of his teammates.
Many have traced this lack of discipline from Kepa to a long-standing arrogance of Chelsea players, which still exists from previous eras under Conte and Mourinho. It is difficult for a man like Sarri to do his job if his players refuse to listen and learn from him, and he has even hinted at their refusal to cooperate in previous press conferences.
There is no doubt that Kepa Arrizabalaga is public enemy #1 in the football world at the moment, as his treatment, or should I say mistreatment, of his manager and teammates embarrassed his club, and infuriated fans. Kepa should face at minimum a fine and suspension, and Chelsea should certainly be questioning the future of the goalkeeper, who was hardly proving to be worth the £70 million they spent on him anyways.